Christmas is an extremely ancient holiday - it was celebrated in Ukraine as far back as the times of the Trypillians. Over the centuries, the rituals and traditions have changed many times, so the cultural heritage of the winter holidays is extremely diverse. Find out interesting facts about Christmas that you've definitely never heard before in the article on Visit Ukraine

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Ukrainians celebrate Christmas according to two traditions: some celebrate the great holiday on 25 December, while others celebrate it on 7 January. The rituals may also differ from region to region in Ukraine, with each region, village, and even family forming their own Christmas traditions from generation to generation. Winter holidays are a kaleidoscope of folk songs, theatrical performances, ritual dishes and much more. Read this article to find out interesting facts about one of the biggest holidays that will definitely be a novelty for you.

TOP 5 facts about Christmas Eve that you probably didn't know

1. Among all winter holidays, Christmas Eve has the largest number of rituals, customs and traditions.

2. Before Christmas Eve, the house must be decorated: on the Right Bank, paper flowers and paper cut-outs have long been used, and in Galicia, ‘spiders’ made of rye straw, illuminated by small candles, are used.

3. Twelve dishes before Christmas can be cooked only on a ‘live’ fire - the one carved from flint or friction of wood.

4. It is on Christmas Eve that the ‘turn from winter to summer’, known to us from fairy tales and carols, takes place.

5. Traditional kutia was cooked with different ingredients in all regions of Ukraine: in the west and north, barley, millet, or wheat; in the Rivne region, a handful of beans were added; in some regions, a penny was thrown in to ensure the family's prosperity in the coming year.

Read about the two traditions of celebrating Christmas that exist in Ukraine in parallel on Visit Ukraine.

Christmas in Ukraine - incredible facts

1. Christmas began with a church service - the whole family went there.

2. On Christmas Day, you could not sit down to dinner until the first guest arrived, who brought good fortune for the whole next year.

3. Polaznyky were usually children - little boys, but in some regions a ram, horse or ox was brought into the house.

4. On the morning of Christmas, it is imperative to go to visit - this strengthens social ties and is therefore an unbreakable tradition.

You can learn more about how Christmas is celebrated in different regions of Ukraine here.

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How to carol correctly - Christmas instructions

1. Using carols, you should wish for good and health.

2. Children and young people should sing carols.

3. When carolling, you should always lead a goat - either a live one, or one made of wood and leather, or a boy in an inside-out coat - a symbol of fertility and well-being.

4. Finally, join a nativity scene, a folk theatre that depicts the day Jesus was born.

If you like to travel, follow the link and choose where to go with your family for Christmas.

Is Christmas celebration different in Ukraine and other countries?

Of course, the millennial tradition has left its mark on Christmas celebrations in different countries.

So Santa Claus comes to children in Europe, and St Nicholas in Ukraine. However, as it turned out, they are the same historical figure - a Christian bishop who lived in the 4th century AD. He was very kind and generous, and after his canonisation, he became the patron saint of children.

Children in Finland send letters to Joulupukki (Santa Claus) in the same way that Ukrainians write letters to St Nicholas.

In Iceland, Santa's helpers are quite strict with naughty children: the Jolly Boys leave sweets only for the polite ones, and throw rotten potatoes into the shoes of naughty children. Similarly, St Nicholas leaves the naughty children with canes and presents for the good ones. By the way, in Ukraine, 12 dishes are prepared for Christmas, and in Iceland, 12 gifts are given.

In Sweden, as in Ukraine, a straw figure is made for Christmas. In our country, it is a didukh - a symbol of ancestor and family, and in Sweden... a goat - the embodiment of one of the images of Scandinavian mythology. But that's where the similarities end. Ukrainians love and protect Didukh, while more than half of the Swedish population hates their Christmas symbol and wants to destroy it.

St Nicholas is not only responsible for Ukrainian children. He also comes to the Dutch. On 6 December, children in this country leave hay in their shoes for the donor's horse.

In Italy, sketches from the life of Jesus are performed on the streets every year. Isn't this an analogue of the Ukrainian Christmas nativity scene in folk theatres? And we find statuettes on the same theme literally everywhere.

Just a reminder. Earlier we told you how to cook a real European Christmas dinner.

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